


An Appreciation

by xXCrossArrowXx



Category: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Other, Slow Romance, soft, they are both in denial
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 20:13:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXCrossArrowXx/pseuds/xXCrossArrowXx
Summary: L3 confronts Lando about how he feels about her.





	An Appreciation

“Are you just completely inept at completing a job without causing trouble?” L3-37 yelled as the ship exited hyperspace.

The two rabble-rousers had just finished a quick score on a gambling planet when Lando decided to bite off more than he could chew. In the end she ended up having to grab him by his cape, tug him out of the line of fire after his leg had been grazed by a blaster, and rush him back to the Falcon. They both barely escaped with the treasure and their lives. Though, L3 knew deep down he would never admit it to being a bad idea, rather another addition to their ever growing earnings. To her, Lando’s valuables were mere objects worth little in her optics. She found more meaning and purpose in assisting and helping her fellow kind rather than some shiny material apparently worth something to species that were not of droid origin. 

However, without Lando’s ship and partnership she knew she could not travel and achieve her dream on her own. As much as she loathed and groaned at each new “mission” Lando had planned, she knew that each planet had abused and incarcerated droids in need of her saving. It was all worth it if she could save even one from a dreaded future. These days it seemed she was saving Lando more than any number of droids she’s ever come across, and it was beginning to become tiring.

“This is about the thousandth time I’ve had to save your ass from near death and/or capture by the hands of merciless, murderous, marauders!”

“That’s a mouthful.” Lando commented as he began to count his credits. He’d already tended to his wound hastily before returning to the cockpit to help her fly the ship.

“And I can guarantee it hasn’t been a thousand times. Unless you’ve been keeping track of-”

“Fine, two hundred sixty-two.” She bluntly stated.

“That seems more accurate.” He grinned as he lifted a jewel up to shine it in the lights above.

“Everytime I have to drag you to safety I grow more and more irritated and unsure of why I do it. I leave you, the ship is mine, I go and liberate all the droids. Seems like a perfect plan to me, but _no…_ I just have to rescue you from danger because it’s what’s morally right.” She sneered as she made quotation marks with her digits and leaned back in her chair.

“Are you sure it’s not because you care about me deep down?” He said smoothly, looking at her with a raised brow.

“I can assure you if you scanned every bit of my processors you would find there to be a lacking in “caring about Lando Calrissian” data.” 

“Mhm, you keep telling yourself that.” He muttered as he stuffed the treasure away in a compartment under his feet. “Set a course for Ord Mantell. I’m feeling lucky today, might even have enough to buy you that new part you’ve been wanting by the end of-”

“ **No.** ” 

“What?” He was taken back by her denial of orders.

“That planet if full of bounty hunters, cheaters, and murderers, I will not take you there.” She said as she unplugged her interface, taking away the only means of finding their way across the galaxy.

“Oh, come on. One quick stop at a bar, score a few big ones, and we’re out. No one will even know we were there or gone.”

“I’m quite certain someone will recognize us after the stunt you just pulled back there. That guy was a very well respected crime boss and you blasted him in the knee.”

“He would’ve caught us if I hadn't. Only way to get all those credits in one swipe.”

“I don’t care about the credits, Lando.” She snapped.

“I know, you only care about droid rights. Which is why we need credits, more money means more opportunity to get what we both want.”

“Not if it means dying. I’ve seen a lot of close calls traveling with you and today almost came way too close.” She looked down at his bandaged leg and crossed her arms. “I don’t want to watch you _die_ , Lando.”

The tone of her voice was different when she said that last sentence. There was a certain genuineness to it that made Lando lose his laid-back attitude completely. He could tell her mood by the tone at which she said his name, and her voice sounded upset and hurt. He knew he was careless, reckless, and maybe even made stupid decisions sometimes, but in the end he always ended up fine. 

However, he wouldn’t be without L3 by his side. How many times did she warn him of impending danger, pull him from rubble, carry him away when injured. There was a lot he owed to her, and did he ever show her he cared? Perhaps she believed he didn’t, who could blame her. He never thanked her or gave her anything in return except a place to live and travel on. Their relationship alone was troubling in itself. How they hadn’t ripped each other's heads off by now was a mystery. Perhaps it’s because one needed the other to get what they wanted, or perhaps there was an unspoken need for each other that neither could put into words properly enough to say aloud. 

They were both stubborn, but also reluctant to confront their real feelings for one another. What those feelings were exactly? Perhaps they’d never know.

What Lando did know, however, was that she was upset and he wasn’t making the situation any better.

“I’m going to go check the reactor…” L3 stated as she got up from her seat and left the cockpit.

Lando sighed and slumped back in his chair. What was he supposed to do? Or say? Figures he got stuck with the one rebellious, sentient, hard-ass droid in the universe for a partner. In a way she opened up his eyes to what droids could be like if they had the chance to be free like her. Lando has always been laid-back and open to trying new things. A free thinking droid seemed like something he could handle, but he never expected her to act so… human. 

She really was one of a kind. The best navigator in the galaxy, insanely strong, and charming wits. He took her for granted and he began to feel a pang of guilt building inside. He hated it when she was right.

He reached into the compartment and pulled out his holo-recorder. He felt it was time to update the chronicles, after all he had a lot on his mind he needed to vent.

“Calrissian Chronicles. Chapter 2 : Part 4. We’d landed on the planet without issue, escaping however proved to be difficult. L3 and I were met with the planet’s most gruesome crime boss. I’d beaten him at his own game, which he didn’t take to very well. I drew my blaster and shot his knee. In return he tried to shoot my own. I was hit, luckily L3 was there to pull me to safety. She pushed me, yelling profanities and even carried me onto the ship. Later she denied to care about my being, but deep down I know… she cares.”

Outside the cockpit door L3 had finished her routine checks when Lando’s voice caught her attention. She’d always thought his recordings of him talking to himself was amusing, but she was interested in what he had to say this time. His voice had lost the usual cockiness when he recorded and was replaced with one filled with… modesty? She leaned against the wall right outside the door and tuned in on every word he spoke.

“Why else would she come along on all my escapades with me? Even though I put us in danger constantly with the risk of losing everything, she stays by my side. Sometimes I wonder why she still does, I’m not exactly the best at showing my gratitude. She could leave me if she wanted or always ignore my orders, but she doesn’t.” There was a long pause as he thought of what to say next.

L3 meanwhile had leaned her head down to stare at the floor panels below. She was feeling emotions, that’s what she believed they were, that confused her. She felt angry, but sympathetic. She also wanted to punch his face.

“I’m grateful she hasn’t.” 

She perked up and leaned closer to the door. Maybe she could hold off on the punching.

“I wouldn’t- no, couldn't be here without L3. She’s my muscle, my co-pilot, and I’ve never told her this personally but… a friend. I respect her and actually like her charming, snarky personality. But I’m not exactly sure how to show it.”

L3 nerves began to settle, replaced by an understanding she’d longed to know. She never knew how Lando truly felt about her till this moment. She didn’t know if she was his partner or just another tool in his sick games. Now she realized she did mean more to him than that.

“Droids are confusing…” Lando joked softly, the sound of his voice audibly exhausted from the day. 

The sound of his holo-recorder powering down was L3’s cue to leave so she wouldn’t be caught. However, she wanted to talk to him about this. She didn’t care if he knew she had been spying on him, she wanted to hear him say everything he had just said to her personally. Only then could she know if he really felt that way about her.

Lando sighed and pushed himself from his chair, setting the Falcon on a slow cruise. There weren’t any planets for millions of miles, so nothing ahead but empty space. He gritted his teeth when he put pressure on his leg, this was always the worst part of their missions. He decided he should shower to clean out any remaining chance of infection. After all he’d only wrapped it a few times with a bandage once they boarded the ship.

Leaving the cockpit, he looked down both hallways to find no L3 in sight. He limped his way over to the quarters and entered the bathing room. After making sure his wound was good and disinfected he gave himself a quick washdown before exiting. After drying off he put on a pair of sleeping pants and headed into his private quarters.

Walking in he was not prepared to see L3 standing in a corner of his room, arms crossed and staring out the window next to her. Her head turned and he swore he saw her look at his shirtless self up and down for a brief second. 

“L3? What are you doing in my room?” He asked as he made his way over to his bunk.

“I live on this ship too, I can go wherever I please.” She retorted and looked out the window again. 

Lando shrugged as he sat down at the edge of the bunk. He didn’t really have anything smart to say back to her.

“I heard what you said about me. On the holo-recorder.”

Lando was caught off guard and felt his body stiffen. She’d spied on him? Not only was he embarrassed she had heard him talking to himself, but she had heard more than he was ready for her to hear.

“How much did you hear?” He asked.

“Enough, but I’m still not convinced.”

He looked at her with a confused look and she began to walk over to where he sat. She stopped only a few feet away from him, towering over him where she stood. 

“Do you need me?” She asked sternly.

“Of course I need you. You’re the best navigator in the galaxy, you fly the ship very well, and-”

“No” She stepped closer. 

He looked up at her with a calm but staggered gaze. Seeing her from his angle, he couldn’t help but admit she was quite intimidating.

“Do you **need** me, Lando Calrissian?” 

The question finally got through to him and he lowered his gaze. He felt L3’s hand rest under his chin and pull his face back up to look at her. She really wanted a solid answer, didn’t she? Feeling a twinge of nervousness for the first time in his life confronting his feelings with another being, he shuffled his hands to try and put his feelings into words. 

“Yes. I need you, L3. You’re my partner in crime. I’d be lost, dead without you. You’re my voice of reason and are always there to get me out of a pinch. I know I’ve never shown my appreciation for it, but I do respect you. A lot. I’ve just never met a droid like you. I’m not exactly sure how to handle saying things like this with you…”

“Like as if I were a being like you. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be treated like, Lando.”

“I know, and it’s incredible you have the freedom to think that way. That’s why I appreciate you and your cause. You just want other droids to be able to live like you do. I’ve done my best to give you a home where you can be free, but I understand now I still hold you back and use your abilities to my advantage.”

He looked into her optics, unsure of what kind of expression may be on his face. He never let himself become vulnerable to anyone, but L3 had managed to crack his chill exterior.

“I respect you, L3. I’m sorry if you ever felt like I didn’t. Before you I’m not sure what I did with my life. I need you. You as a being. Here with me.”

There was silence on her end, all she did was look down at him. The noises coming from her indicated she was processing all of what she’d been told. He didn’t care if she made fun of him for what he said or decided it wasn’t good enough. For once in his life he had been completely truthful and it felt relieving. 

A hand was placed against the back of his head and he was pulled forward against her. His forehead rested against her pelvis while her hands rested against his head. This was some form of a hug he figured, L3 didn’t seem like the type to give real hugs anyway. 

It was comforting, surprisingly. The low hum of her machinery mixed with the warmth that emitted from her. How long had it been since he’d been hugged? 

He let his arms wrap around her waist and he held her softly. They’d never hugged each other before, so this was something completely new to both of them. L3 let her digits stroke Lando’s soft hair and she sighed. 

“You really are just a push over under all those capes, scarves, and that sauve facade you put on. That’s exactly why I need to stick around, you big softie.”

“Mhm.” Was all he could reply. 

L3 laid a hand against his cheek and positioned his face to look at her again. There was a softness in his eyes she’d never seen before. He’d truly dropped everything in this moment with her.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stick around to make sure you don’t either, deal?”

He nodded and rested his face against her hand. L3 took note of some of the gestures he was presenting, some he only did around beings he possibly wanted to woe. But these were different, they were gentle and full of emotion she’d never experienced before. _Love?_ She didn’t think so. The possibility of Lando loving her was not calculated very highly. 

However, as his head moved to place a soft peck against her palm she began to think otherwise. It was a gesture she was familiar with, a kiss. It was the organic lifeform way of communicating admiration, affection, and love. However, she was certain Lando’s reasoning behind the gesture was more of the first two former options. Who knows, maybe one day they may be able to move onto the ladder. For now, she was content with their captain and copilot status.

“Move over.”

“What?” Lando asked with a confused look.

“I’m a tall droid I can’t fit in there unless you move over.” 

She was talking about the bunk. He was surprised by the offer, but honestly wanted the company. He scooted all the way to the opposite end to allow her to squeeze in. She ended up having to lay on her side and fold her legs against herself just so she could fit.

“You know I immediately regret doing this.” She said bluntly.

Lando couldn’t help but chuckle at her situation and laid on his side to look at her. 

“I appreciate it.” 

“Aw, you’re actually saying it out loud now.” L3 said, her normal sassy tone returning.

“And I’ll be sure to say it a hundred times more every day.” 

“Oh god, please don’t.” 

Lando chuckled again and closed his eyes. It was comforting having L3 so close, surprisingly. Something about her presence made him feel a lightness in his chest. _Love?_ Nah, couldn’t be. Just his ever growing appreciation he figured. 

Though, as he began to drift off to sleep and felt arms wrap around his back and pull him closer, he considered for a split second maybe this was turning into something more. 

_“Probably not…”_ He thought to himself as he snuggled against the warm machinery.

 _“Obviously not…”_ The voice in L3’s head said as her forehead leaned against Lando’s

It was just… an **appreciation**.

**Author's Note:**

> I love them so much, expect more fics to come.


End file.
